One of the primary concerns in dentistry is the controlling of oral bleeding during dental operative procedures, such as oral surgery, taking impressions of teeth for reconstruction, and the like. For example, in the field of dental reconstruction or preparation of dental crowns, it is common for dentists to cut gingival or gum tissue in order to fully expose the tooth prior to taking an impression of the tooth. It is imperative that the area surrounding the tooth be clean and dry for an accurate impression to be made. To this end, various hemostatic agents have been commonly used to stop bleeding.
One of the most common hemostatic agents in use today in the dental field is an aqueous solution of aluminum chloride, marketed under a variety of tradenames by several manufacturers. Another product in use today as a hemostatic agent is a vasoconstrictor known as epinephrine. However, epinephrine can produce serious cardiovascular effects such as a speeding heart rate, and its use has been questioned in such publications as Accepted Dental Therapuetics, 37th Edition, as an acceptable hemostat. Aqueous solutions of aluminum chloride are not as effective as could be desired and produce a very undesirable taste in the patient's mouth.
Consequently, there has been a need for a more effective method of preparing gingival areas and for a hemostatic agent having rapid coagulant and astringent characteristics. While iron salts in general have been recognized as having certain astringent characteristics, they have heretofore been characterized as ineffective as coagulants and been found objectionable due to the yellow staining of teeth and the high acidity of the salt solution causing potential corrosion to tooth enamel. See for example, Accepted Dental Therapeutics, 37th Edition, Page 220.
It is an objective of this invention to provide a method for preparing gingival areas of the mouth for dental reconstruction by using a ferric sulfate solution which acts as a coagulant and astringent without damaging side effects, such as staining of tooth enamel and corrosion of teeth.